If you are near something hot, say an open flame, you can feel the heat radiating from the fire. I have a juvenile understanding of thermodynamics, but I understand that there is energy radiating from the heat source which is what I’m feeling.
By contrast, if you hover your hand near an ice cold drink, you can FEEL the cold before even touching the glass.
How is this possible since my hand is seemingly radiating more energy than the drink is? Is what I’m feeling just the energy leaving my hand and entering the drink?
In: 9
It would be more accurate to say that your hand is feeling the cold air around the drink. It’s not like there’s cold radiating from the drink glass. Your hand is continually radiating heat, but that’s not really something that you feel in normal circumstances.
But you can feel when something is colder than your hand, such as cold air.
Latest Answers